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Atomic force microscopy probing in the measurement of cell mechanics
Authors Kirmizis D, Logothetidis S
Published 23 March 2010 Volume 2010:5 Pages 137—145
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S5787
Review by Single anonymous peer review
Peer reviewer comments 4
Dimitrios Kirmizis, Stergios Logothetidis
Department of Physics, Laboratory for Thin Films-Nanosystems and Nanometrology, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece
Abstract: Atomic force microscope (AFM) has been used incrementally over the last decade in cell biology. Beyond its usefulness in high resolution imaging, AFM also has unique capabilities for probing the viscoelastic properties of living cells in culture and, even more, mapping the spatial distribution of cell mechanical properties, providing thus an indirect indicator of the structure and function of the underlying cytoskeleton and cell organelles. AFM measurements have boosted our understanding of cell mechanics in normal and diseased states and provide future potential in the study of disease pathophysiology and in the establishment of novel diagnostic and treatment options.
Keywords: atomic force microscopy, cell mechanics, cell elastography, cell force spectroscopy
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